The New York Knicks have plenty of elite defensive talent. In the past few years, the Knicks themselves have realized they have issues on the defensive side of the game, so they scooped up some of the best defenders in the league.
With Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, the Knicks have a dangerous defensive duo that can stop almost any player. While Bridges is a known commodity, Knicks head coach Mike Brown believes Anunoby goes under the radar.
Brown believes it’s messed up that Anunoby does not get the spotlight
During his time with the Toronto Raptors, fans of the team always campaigned for Anunoby to get more attention. Most people think that would have changed when the Raptors and the Knicks made a trade to send OG to New York.
That is not the case because Anunoby is still one of the most underrated players in the league. He has made massive strides offensively, but he remains one of the best defenders in the league who people do not consider a top stopper.
After the Knicks’ blowout win against the Chicago Bulls on Friday, Brown was ecstatic for Anunoby, who had a great night. Not only did he have a strong scoring night, but he was also superb defensively, which Brown made sure to highlight.
“I’m lost, he only has one (All-Defensive Team)? That’s BS. I can say that with a straight face because he’s a great defender. He does a lot of different things that people don’t see on that end of the floor for us, but more importantly, his versatility is off the charts,” Brown said after Friday’s win to NY Daily News’ Kristian Winfield.
“In my opinion, he deserves First-Team All-Defense this year, and hopefully, the powers that be will see it that way too.”
As the Knicks continue toward the Playoffs, they will need more good performances from the team. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are the biggest names, but with Bridges and Anunoby, they have more players who will contribute.